http://web.ethlife.ethz.ch/e/articles/sciencelife/stratxxtest.htmlMon, 17 Jun 2013 18:59:00 GMTdonotreply@osnews.com (intel)Comments99 Red Balloons / Nena?http://www.osnews.com/thread?564866
http://www.osnews.com/thread?564866Cold War Era reminiscence â" do you remember Nenaâs â99 Red Balloonsâ? Seems that the words of this song are very well suited to this news. What I want to say: no matter how great and innovative technologies we have today, we have to remember that these can be applied for good or bad purposes.

As a Cold War Era child I have the only one association with âballoonsâ â" Nenaâs song. However, I prefer German version, I will refer to the English one, as it will be easier to get the message for all of us. Here is the video:

--
You and I in a little toy shop
Buy a bag of balloons with the money we've got
Set them free at the break of dawn
Till one by one, they were gone
Back at base bugs in the software
Flash the message, something's out there
Floating in the summer sky
99 red balloons go by

99 red balloons
Floating in the summer sky
Panic bells it's red alert
There's something here from somewhere else
The war machine springs to life
Opens up one eager eye
Focusing it on the sky as 99 red balloons go by

99 Decision street
99 ministers meet
To worry, worry, super scurry
Call the troops out in a hurry
This is what we've waited for
This is it boys, this is war
The president is on the line
As 99 red balloons go by

99 knights of the air
Ride super high tech jet fighters
Everyone's a super hero
Everyone's a Captain Kirk
With orders to identify
To clarify, and classify
Scramble in the summer sky
99 red balloons go by

99 dreams I have had
In every one a red balloon
It's all over and I'm standing pretty
In this dust that was a city
If I could find a souvenir
Just to prove the world was here
And here is a red balloon
I think of you, and let it go
--

Balloons, balloons, whatâs next? So, I can only believe that Google is a smart company and such technologies will be applied for good purposes only! To make our World the better place - best wishes for Google in such case.

PS. And German version - it's the best one:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lur-SGl3uw8Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:07:00 GMTdonotreply@osnews.com (wawrzyn)CommentsNamed after?http://www.osnews.com/thread?564870
http://www.osnews.com/thread?564870Is this project named after me!?!

I doubt it, but I did propose this exact idea for forcefully providing unfiltered internet to areas which restrict access. Free and honest information is the best way to fight oppression.

but I did propose this exact idea for forcefully providing unfiltered internet to areas which restrict access. Free and honest information is the best way to fight oppression.

And you think Google will provide free, open, and honest information with no conditions? I wonder if those other nations would be okay with Google "forcefully" providing internet access especially with the NSA information coming to light? They might be better off without it until, and if, that is ever dealt with.Mon, 17 Jun 2013 20:51:00 GMTdonotreply@osnews.com (darknexus)CommentsRE[2]: Named after?http://www.osnews.com/thread?564874
http://www.osnews.com/thread?564874

And you think Google will provide free, open, and honest information with no conditions?

Much better than what the have otherwise!

And, honestly, I have yet to find anything being filtered by google to the point of omission. Search result prioritization doesn't count as censorship.

Provided they have the ability to receive that information, of course. What percentage of the global population actually have the ability to take advantage of wifi balloons floating in the stratosphere?Mon, 17 Jun 2013 22:51:00 GMTdonotreply@osnews.com (Delgarde)Commentsthe obvious applicationhttp://www.osnews.com/thread?564883
http://www.osnews.com/thread?564883It is a low cost alternative to satellites rather than a conventional high speed network.Tue, 18 Jun 2013 04:20:00 GMTdonotreply@osnews.com (unclefester)CommentsRE: the obvious applicationhttp://www.osnews.com/thread?564884
http://www.osnews.com/thread?564884I think Google TiSP is a better idea.

I can't see this working.
Air space violation -&gt; kaboom, bye bye internets.

Altitudes above 12mi (18km) are generally considered to be international airspace.

It is almost impossible to shoot down a high altitude balloon. Very few countries have suitable high altitude missiles. A missile that hits an unpressurised helium balloon will simply punch a small hole in the cover causing a very slow leak.Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:09:00 GMTdonotreply@osnews.com (unclefester)Commentsballoons operational after disastershttp://www.osnews.com/thread?564891
http://www.osnews.com/thread?564891Internet is becoming more and more important every day. So, it could become important after a major disaster like an earthquake.Tue, 18 Jun 2013 09:53:00 GMTdonotreply@osnews.com (bigdog)CommentsRE[2]: Wellhttp://www.osnews.com/thread?564892
http://www.osnews.com/thread?564892Bloody nano missiles.Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:09:00 GMTdonotreply@osnews.com (MOS6510)CommentsRE[2]: Wellhttp://www.osnews.com/thread?564895
http://www.osnews.com/thread?564895Using anti-aircraft missiles on baloons? I don't think anyone would be insane enough given the cost of those. Also (correct me if i'm wrong) most anti-aircraft missiles have some kind of proximity fuse so it wouldn't just punch a hole.

Depending on what fighters a country has it might be possible to send those up and gun the things down.Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:27:00 GMTdonotreply@osnews.com (Ultimatebadass)CommentsAll that helium flying away...http://www.osnews.com/thread?564897
http://www.osnews.com/thread?564897Well, time to seriously consider buying a pulse tube cooler around here, looks like the price of liquid helium is going to climb again :/Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:35:00 GMTdonotreply@osnews.com (Neolander)CommentsRE[3]: Wellhttp://www.osnews.com/thread?564944
http://www.osnews.com/thread?564944

Using anti-aircraft missiles on baloons? I don't think anyone would be insane enough given the cost of those. Also (correct me if i'm wrong) most anti-aircraft missiles have some kind of proximity fuse so it wouldn't just punch a hole.

Depending on what fighters a country has it might be possible to send those up and gun the things down.

Tethered barrage balloons were used to protect London during WW2. The balloons forced attacking German fighter aircraft to fly at higher altitudes making them vulnerable to anti-aircraft fire. These balloons were virtually impossible to destroy.

Anti-aircraft missiles typically home in on high temperature exhausts. They probably wouldn't even "see" a cold Mylar balloon.

Modern fighters typically have fairly low ceilings of ~12-16Km. You'd need a high altitude interceptor from the Cold War like an F104 or MiG31 to get anywhere near 20,000m.Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:42:00 GMTdonotreply@osnews.com (unclefester)Comments